Seeming UnAbby
by Ambre Astral
Summary: Based on the episode "Skeletons". What if McGee had been the one to talk to Abby? Please read, review, and enjoy!


**********Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS or any of the charcters from it. I do however own the crazy mind that puts these concoctions (what you're about to read) together. I'm not making any money from this. It's all purely for fun. No Copyright Infringement Intended. I'm just a heathily addicted, loyal fan of the show!. =D**

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**Seeming UnAbby  
**by NCISFF Special Agent Starr

Stepping out of the elevator, Tim was armed and ready with reinforcements. Whatever was the matter with Abby, it had to be something pretty big to get her to be acting so unlike herself, especially if Tony was right in his hypothesis of McGee having something to do with it. Then he knew he'd need all the extra aid he could scrounge up, not only to get her to open up to him, but also to help smooth everything over afterward.

There were only five steps left until the show began. Sure he was nervous and hesitant about the confrontation but he _had to _find out what had her so upset. Tightening his grip on her favorite beverage, he took a few deep breaths, and began the countdown. Five… four… three… two…

"Hey, Abs!" He entered the oddly silent lab, trying to sound as cheerful as possible.

Her focus remained on the computer screen facing her, clicking speedily with the mouse attached to it.

"Hello, _Mr. Moneybags_." She taunted flatly.

'Okay, obviously the upbeat, cheer-up-it-can't-be-that-bad, approach wasn't going to work.' He concluded, walking over to set the Caf-Pow he'd purchased beside her and stood there.

"What's that supposed to mean?" He wondered.

Maybe he shouldn't be challenging her right now, but just because she was having a bad day didn't give her a free pass to be discourteous. Then again, he had to keep in mind that this wasn't Abby he was talking to.

"Oh, nothing…" she glanced over at him. "It's just that normal people usually carry some change around with them. You know, just in case of emergencies?"

Sharply turning back to her research, it was clear she was not in the mood for anymore chitchat.

"Abby, what's wrong with you?" Getting straight to the point, he knew they could go back and forth all day with this pointless banter.

Okay, that was blatantly the wrong way to phrase that question. Her head snapped in his direction, her eyes launching dagger at him. But he noticed the pain behind the glare.

"That's not what I meant!" Quick on the defense as he watched her twirl around to the silver table, "What I meant to say was… ask was… what's troubling you?"

From her expression apparently "troubling" was a strange way of putting it to, but at least she responded.

"Do I seem _troubled_ to you, McGee?" Her hands were busy shuffling around evidence she was about to process and her vision followed them.

"Yeah, you do actually…" Said gently and honestly so she knew he meant no harm in the confession. "With the little-"

The green orbs shot at him once again, daring him to call it an outburst, an episode, a hissy fit, anything to that effect.

"Um…" he picked up on the message loud and clear, thankfully. "_thing_ that happened this morning. Then, when Tony came down and tired to talk to you and you wouldn't… and then he came back up and said it was probably something I did and-"

"I cannot _believe_ you two!" She raised her voice angrily while raising her hands up in the air, "Is there anyone in this building who can keep their mouths' shut and _not _gossip about fellow coworkers?"

She went back to the evidence handling it a little more forceful than necessary now. Tim had no idea what that small rant was about but he wasn't going to be steered off topic.

"Abs, we're just concerned and-"

"Well, there's no need to be, McGee! I'm fine… everything's fine."

Storming past him, she stomped her way to her office. And he followed, stopping between the automatic doors, and leaned against them.

"Abby, please don't lie to me." He requested to her sincerely.

She frozen in front of her desk as if his words had paralyzed her and she looked toward him.

"What do you want me to say?" Her voice was definitely less aggressive than before.

Inching closer to the desk she perched herself behind, Tim calmly approached the swivel car and took a seat, his knee just happening to box her in the tiny space between them.

"You don't have to say anything you don't want to. I'm worried about you though, Abby. You've been acting very un-you all day. I've tried keeping my attention on the case, but it has been impossible knowing you're down here extremely upset by something, and I have no idea what it is. Then when Ziva said you were practically crying when she came d-"

"Oh," Abs crossed her arms over her chest. "So Ziva's a part of the scuttlebutt gang too?"

Ignoring that comment because they both knew it was irrelevant, he continued.

"… I just want to make sure you're okay." He put his palm on one of her knees and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

Bowing her head, he could tell she was contemplating whether or not to allow herself to become vulnerable. After several minutes of quiet she finally started to crack.

"It's nothing really… it's so stupid…" she confessed, barely audible and barely legible. But Tim understood it.

"Hey, if it's enough to get the strong, independent, Abby Sciuto all bent out of shape… then it has gotta be _something_…" he smiled slightly trying to keep the mood light so that she would be more comfortable.

Darting her pupils around the room for a few minutes as she decided what to do, she finally let out a deep sigh and hung her head again, staring at her feet. That way, if her emotions didn't stay in check, at least he wouldn't notice that what Ziva had said held truth.

"There's…" she slowly began, shaking her foot back and forth providing her something to focus on other than her next words. "this guy… Marty…"

'This is about a guy?' McGee thought, rather shocked. This certainly a topic Abby tended to dwell over. 'This dude must have really screwed- Wait a second… _Marty?_'

"Marty… size-truly-doesn't-matter, Marty?" He questioned, feeling the same amount of jealous as he had when he'd read the card attached to the flowers Marty sent her.

"Yeah, him…"

The sorrow in her whispered words made all jealousy disappear for the moment to be replaced by anger at the man for hurting her.

When Abs lifted up her head he instantly saw the tears glossing her eyes, but she didn't give him time to comment on them before she did something that surprised him. She was suddenly in his lap.

Leaning forward she wiggled the mouse, bringing up her new desktop image.

"I really liked him, Tim."

The heartbreak was dripping with each word she'd spoke and McGee absolutely hated it. Who did this Marty guy think he was? However, when Abby slouched forward with her elbow on her desk and her chin resting in her palm, he redirected his concern to more important things.

Placing a hand on her back, he rubbed it soothingly.

"What happened?"

"My growth spurt…" She answered bitterly. Pushing herself upright, she angled her position on his lap to elaborate further. "Apparently size doesn't matter to me, but it does to him… He broke up with me because I'm too tall. According to him, there's no way we can work it out either."

Tim was about to apologize but she went on.

"He was so nice, and sweet, and smart, and charming, and fun, and and… and now it's all over! And it's all my fault! I've tried everything I can think of to get him to reconsider us finding a solution to the height difference but he still refuses… and I don't know what to do. I cared a lot about him. I mean I didn't love him or anything," She clarified defensively, "But he was a really good friend… he was almost like another you… only a more compact version…"

After her clustered yet well deserved rant, she fell speechless. It was clear her mind was now spinning with memories of her now ex-boyfriend.

"I don't think Marty was anything like me…" Tim stated with certainty.

Sadness laced her voice as she still had him on her brain, "How would you know, McGee? You never met him."

"Because I…" he laid an arm over top her legs and hugged her closer, "would never be stupid enough to turn down one of the most gorgeous, compassionate, amusing, intelligent, wonderful woman in the universe for something as captivating as her beautiful, creamy, long legs. If you ask me, it's his loss."

She was about to oppose his use of the if-he-can't-accept-you-for-who-you-are line, but as it began to sink in it made sense. She had been accepting of who he was, and if he couldn't do the same for her, or at least make an attempt to do so, then maybe she should _accept_ it was over, and just let it go.

'Wow,' she thought as her body loosened as if it had been freed of a weight. 'that was an invigorating revelation.'

And she owed it all to one man.

Shifting in the car, she slinked her arms around him and gave him the hug of a lifetime.

"You're the best, McGee!" she exclaimed continuing to constrict him.

"Anytime, Abs." he smiled and returned the embrace. His own relief washing over him, knowing that she was better now and now he could concentrate on work again.

With all the moving around on his lap, she suddenly became aware of something…

"That better be your gun, McGee!" She pulled back and looked him.

He looked as though he'd completely forgotten something and it was his return to do some shifting.

His hand traveled into his pocket as she lifted herself up slightly. Going in, what he exposed made a huge smile brighten her face.

To show her appreciation for the extremely sweet act, she kissed him.

"I love you, Timmy." She took the time to look into his eyes, and then immediately unwrapping her treat.

He was stunned by the kiss, but eventually it melted into a grin.

"That's my girl."

If he got that kiss for buying her a non-nugget filled candy bar, he was curious to see what it would earn him when she found out he had paid Tony back that dollar for her after he broke a twenty.

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**{I was working on the next chapters of _Expectations _and _Heart to Heart... _while I was watching NCIS on USA the other day and this popped into my head. It's not much, but I hope you liked it. =) }**


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